Locking cap for fuel tanks and the like



Sept. 4, 1945.

N. w. TRAUTNER LOCKING CAP 'FOR FUEL, TANKS AND THE LIKE Filed Jan: 18 1943 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 1 Q2 32W mm Sept. 4, 1945. N. w. TRAUTNER 2,384,217 LOCKING CAP FOR FUEL TANKS AND THE LIKE Filed Jan. 1a, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Sept. 4, 1945 UNITED STATES LOCKING CAP FOR FUEL TANKS. AND l THE LIKE Nicholas W. 'I'rautner, St; Paul, Application January is, 1943, SerialNo. 472,687-

' 1 Claim. (01. 7o 168) This invention relatesto a fuel tank cap of the type having a lock for guarding against unauthorized removal of the cap from th filling opening or mouth of the tank.

My principal objects are to provide a novel locking cap of unusually simple, rugged construction and having a minimum number of strong, simple parts so formed that the assembly of the device is greatly facilitated and continuous, reliable operation is insured.

The invention also includes certain novel details of construction which will be more fully pointed out in the following specification and claim. 7

Referring to the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved cap in place on a filling pipe of the type commonly provided on the gasoline tanks of motor vehicles;

Fig. 2 is a. central, vertical section through the Sm Figs. 3 and 4 are horizontal sections taken respectively on the lines 3-3 and 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary, vertical section through the central portion of the cap, taken at right angles to the section shown in Fig. 2 and showing the lock cylinder;

Fig. 6 is a, vertical section through the upper end portion of the filling pipe and showing an end of one of the locking arms in locked position;

Fig. 7 is a side elevation showing a modified arrangement of locking lugs and arms;

Fig. 8 is a section taken approximately on the line 88 of Fig. '7 and showing in dotted lines the relative positions of the filling pipe elements;

Fig. 9 is a vertical section through the upper end of the filling pipe and showing the modified arrangement of lug and locking arm, and

Fig. 10 illustrates a key for operating the look.

In the drawings, the invention is shown in connection with a filling pipe II or tank mouth of the common type having an inturned flange 12 formed with oppositely disposed notches l3 to receive projecting members on the cap and a pair of oppositely disposed, inclined cam members I4 adapted to be engaged by the projecting cap members to seal and fasten the cap in sealing engagement with the pipe when the cap is turned to closed position. Each of the cam members l4 extends from one of th notches l3 to a stop shoulder l5 formed on a vertical extension [6 of the flange l2.

My improved cap has a circular body member I! formed with an annular, pendant flange l8 adapted to extend outside of the pipe II and a metal.

suitable gasket. for sealing engagement with the upper end of. the-pipe. .A lockcylinder 28 ismounted centrally in the body member I1 and Projecting from the lower end of th cylinder .20 is an axial shaft 23 which may be turned by the key under control of the.tumblers 2|, this shaft being concentric with the body member ll.

.At its'lower end the shaft is'formed with a flattened head 24 which fitsin a. central open.- ing in a cross bar having arms 25 projecting at diametrically op ite sides of the shaft for looking engagement with-the flanged upper end of nthe pipe I l.

An annular pendant flange .26 is integralwith the cap and has oppositely disposed arcuate slots 21 to receive and guide the locking arms 25. As illustrated, the flange 26 .is formed on a cap'body member 28 which is rigidlyfastened to the: body member I1 but it .will be evident. that the cap body may be formed in one pieceeither by cast ing or molding a suitable plastic-material or In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive, lugs 29 are formed onthe body member :28 to fit in the notches l3 in the filling pipe flange l2 so that th cap cannot be turned when in place on the pipe. These lugs 29 are located directly above projecting ends of the arms 25 when the cap is applied to the pipe H and. the ends of the arms are movable by the lock shaft in an are so as to project beneath and to engage the cam members I 4 at opposite sides. To move the locking arms into operative relation with the cam members [4 it is only necessary to insert the key in the hole 22 and to turn the key clockwise (Fig. 1) about degrees to the locking position. This turns the shaft 23 carrying the arms 25 to the locked position indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3. When the key is withdrawn, the tumblers 2| retain the arms 25 in spring pressed by a small spring 32 so that it normally projects at one side of the shaft to engage the bottom surface of the cap body. The

spring 32 is mounted in a recess in the shaft 23 and. engages a stud 33 formed on the detent. To assemble the lock, it is only necessary to place the arms 25 in their guide slots 21 in the flange 26 and then to press the lock cylinder 20 downward into its bearing while retaining the detent 30 'in itsretractedposition in the gropve 3 l. The

lock cylinder; is "finally seatedbjrinrely inserting thhld 24'in the central'opening' in the arms 25 and allowing the detent so to spring out. I Ward into ngagement with the bottom surface of the cap body, as shown in Fig: 2.1 i."

In the form of the invention shown in Figs.-'7, 8 and 9, instead of providing the fixed lugs 29 Y which fit in the notches l3 to prevent rotation of the cap, I provide a. pair of lugs 34lwhich are integral with the annular flange 26 and. located respectively at the leading ends of the guide slots -2i with/respect to thedirection:of,:rotation1required xto-ifasten the cap onthe filling pipe. The normally'upper surfaces of these lugsi.34 are .disposed a to. engagectheibotto'm surfaces. of the cam .memb'ers..l4.and tohbe; moved to;the; full line position shown .in .Fig.-.:9 to retain thecap on the fillin pipe, afterbeing passed belowthese cam members: throughthe notches l3. This. alternate form of :the invention is also. characterized by an arrangement .of.the locking. arms .25 such that they. arepositioned adjacent .to.the-lugs .34 when ,the cap is iapplied .to.the tan]; opening andan arrangement of the lock cylinder and key sothat thearms-ZE; may .be .moved'away fromthe lugs 34 vwhen the .cap is. to be lockedinplacei Thus the;arms..25.may. be moved to their dotted line positions indicated in Figs. 8 and 9, iniwhi'ch positiori. they are locked when'the keyiis removed, after turning. the .entire captothe full line .position-shown; When in .thislocked position; the

cap cannot be .turned to Iremove thelugs 34'.- from extends above the adjacent locking arm 25 when the cap is turned to sealing/position and before operating the lock.

The form of my invention shown in Figs. '7 to 9 inclusive has an advantage over the other form in that it utilizes the fixed lugs 34 to engage the cam members 14 in holding the cap in place and in drawing the gasket l9 into sealing engagement with the upper end of the pipe I l the locking arms 25' being merelyjemploy'ed jtoprevent turningthe' cap'to the freeposition'on'thepipe. Both ;-of the forms of the invention have the locking arms 25 which are not only strong and rugged but arefreinforced by the fixed annular flange 26 formed on the cap body and guided near their outer ends in the slots 21. There are no small,

" fragile partso'r pivot members that can be bent or broken or thatmay become rusted or corroded with resulting failure of satisfactory operation. It will be further evident that the cost of assembling my;improv ed;locl is minimized byithe arrangement which eliminates all screws, bolts andlike fastening-members and. permits; the lock cylinder to be fastened to the docking armsby simply pressing it into thelbearing-swherejit is held by the springeoperated detent. r

Having described'my invention; what-Irclaim as new and desire to protect bylLetters :Patentis: In a locking cap for a-tank, having a mouth and fastening members. projecting Lwithinzthe month, an annular closure cap, a lock controlled shaft adapted to. be ;turne d5 about its vertical a: :is and projecting gdownward within the .cap concentrically therewith, the improvements which comprise,:;a centrally located, lower lend portion of said shaft, formed .to detachably receive and turn a locking bar, a-rigidlocking-bar having a central bearing fitting. said end portion engagementlwiththe cam.members M .by reason of the fact that each of the arms. 25 is lockedjn position .tozstrike a vertical surface of. one .of

theiflangexextensions 16 at a side of anotch 13.:

The lugs 34 may be made L-shaped in cross .section, as shown in Fig. 9 .so that a portion. ofeach .of the shaft; and affording a-fixed connection therewith, opposite ends of said bar projecting .to engage said fastening.- members within-the mouth of the'tank, andan annulanzdownwardly projecting fiangeqformed. on -.:the: capi concentricallywithsaid shaft,; said flange: being formed with arcuate, horizontally, elongated slots to receive and guide the outer endportions'of said bar. NICHOLAS W. TRAUTNER. 

